Shortly after I wrote my recent column about Ohio State University football players baptizing students at an "Invitation to Jesus" event in Columbus, a friend emailed me with a link to a story from the "CBS Mornings" series "The State of Spirituality" featuring reporting from award-winning journalist Lisa Ling. This particular story, by Ling and her colleagues Analisa Novak and Shannon Luibrand, focused on Gen Z men coming to Christ at a Baptize America service in Southern California last month. Their article states that approximately 30,000 people were baptized, and over 650 churches across the country participated, noting that there is "a worldwide surge in adults becoming baptized into the Christian faith, particularly among an unlikely demographic: Gen Z men." I found this assessment very interesting, as researchers continue to seek answers to explain this revival of faith among young males. On the surface, numerous things pique their interest and compete for their attention in these times. Faith, with an often unfavorable depiction in entertainment and even the news, can seem unappealing, especially for those who did not grow up in a spiritual setting. I am purposely using "spiritual" since the essence of Christianity is based on a close relationship with God through the Holy Spirit, rather than the rigidity of man-made religious traditions.

For the older cohort of Gen Z males, which would be young men ranging in age from 20 to 28, many of the current narratives about them center on rising depression rates, frustration in finding trustworthy friendships and relationships, difficulty in holding steady jobs, and lack of motivation to attend college. Mental health and depression are primary concerns, as Black and Hispanic Gen Z men in Southern and Midwestern states account for a significant increase in suicides, according to an examination of federal death statistics in an Oct. 2 report by Stateline. The Stateline report also listed Gen Z suicide rates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It offered reasons for despondency among Gen Z men that include "bullying on social media ... economic despair, (and) cultural resistance to seeking help for depression."

In a 2023 online discussion I came across on Reddit, which would be considered an unscientific sample, people offered answers to the question "What is going on with many Gen Z men?" One answer that stood out to me was a respondent who said that men need purpose in their lives. "Purposeless, aimless and divided men aren't happy," this commenter wrote. "They need jobs they enjoy (or don't hate) and like waking up to make an impact in the world. They want a fair chance at finding a mate." Another respondent replied, "Finding your meaning can be a challenge, and unfortunately, that process is getting more and more difficult."

One of the young men interviewed in Ling, Novak and Luibrand's article also hinted at having a greater purpose in his life and admitted to making "poor decisions" and experiencing "personal embarrassment" last year. He felt spiritually renewed and rejuvenated after his baptism. I believe that this young man and the many others who came to the Lord at the Baptize America event are going to find the genuine purpose they have been seeking. Instead of trying to direct their own path and continually being discouraged in their efforts to figure out what they were created to do, they will allow God to, as Psalm 32:8 says, lead, guide and watch over them.

I shared the news of this outpouring of faith among Gen Z men with my Ohio State grad school roommate's younger son, who is 27. I asked him what his relationship with Christ means to him, and he said, "My faith is very important to me because it is the only thing that will bring true joy. It is the purest form of love and a reminder of what Jesus did for every single one of us on that cross. It is now our part to choose Him and surrender our lives with Him at the center. I'm blessed to be able to do so." I pray that Gen Z men who are now placing their trust in God will also have this same fulfillment.

Dr. Jessica A. Johnson is a lecturer in the English department at Ohio State University's Lima campus. Email her at smojc.jj@gmail.com. Follow her on X: @JjSmojc. To find out more about Jessica Johnson and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: George Bakos at Unsplash